Matt Cain gets pulled, and it’s just the start of the Giants’ re-load and retrenchment beyond this season

The curtain is closing, the lights are dimming, and everything about the Giants’ 2013 season is suddenly stark and vastly diminished.

There were troubling hints scattered all over AT&T Park on Wednesday, starting and ending with Matt Cain, who started and ended his day almost simultaneously.

Cain struggled badly, was pulled after facing only seven batters, and the Giants lost again, this time 7-2 to the New York Mets.

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Now the defending World Series champions are 40-50, in last place, with the third-worst record in the National League.

And the man who has been their most reliable pitcher—and person—for years is now experiencing one of the most miserable stretches of his career, too.

If the Giants can’t count on Cain… well, what’s left?

It’s not yet mid-July, but the Giants’ 2012 title defense seems like it’s already all but over.

“We feel like this is really, really funky,” Cain said with a grave expression after the shortest outing of his career.

“We know we’re a lot better than we are; to go out there and have an outing like that is really disappointing and it’s kind of hard to swallow. But you’ve got to get over it.”

There’s a more immediate question: Is Cain healthy?

Cain, for his part, repeatedly insisted that he’s fine (which he also told manager Bruce Bochy) and said that he just threw poorly, period.

But Cain also struggled in his last outing (2 1/3 innings, 8 earned runs in a loss to the Dodgers) and his velocity has been down at times this season.

After the workload Cain has carried for eight seasons—and through two World Series runs—it would not be a shock if he was, at the least, experiencing some long-term fatigue.

And it would be even less of a shock if Bochy and pitching coach Dave Righetti acted quickly on Wednesday because they’ve spotted some worrisome signs.

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Bochy said he pulled Cain as a preventative measure, not because Cain was hurting.

Cain had already thrown 36 pitches and clearly wasn’t sharp, so Bochy got the bullpen going quickly and Cain was replaced by Mike Kickham after the Mets went up 3-0.

“I didn’t want it to become a health issue,” Bochy said. “I was being cautious…

“He was approaching 40 pitches and it’s not worth trying to grind him out again. So that’s why I went out to get him.”

The Giants aren’t going to be explicit about this, but I think the quick hook for Cain was one of the first signs of a new, rational approach to this “haywire” year, as general manager Brian Sabean described it earlier this week.

It’s time to re-trench, recover, re-load and retro-fit this team and its 2013 expectations.

That’s not easy for such a proud team and clubhouse.

But it’s the basic truth of what’s left for the Giants after losing 14 of their last 16 games, including a home sweep at the hands of the Mets.

Normally, watching former top prospect Zack Wheeler blowing through the Giants—as he did for seven dominant innings Wednesday–would be a neon-lit Giants nightmare.

But this season has already gone so poorly that Wheeler was just a footnote.

Another sorry note: News emerged Wednesday that Giants’ 2013 bright spot Chad Gaudin was recently charged for lewdness for a January incident in Las Vegas.

This not the happy bunch of 2010 misfits; there are many of the same tough brawlers of the 2012 team, but those champagne days seem far away now.

“I think we have a fighter’s mentality,” first baseman Brandon Belt said. “We have that kind of ‘so what’ mentality.

“Stuff goes wrong all the time, but who cares. If we go out there and keep grinding we can win some ballgames.”

It’s not about hitting the panic button, it’s actually the reverse.

This is when the Giants can start backing off on the work loads for Cain and Madison Bumgarner and be very careful with Ryan Vogelsong when he returns from injury.

This is when they can get some more time for younger players, and find out if anybody wants to give them valuable prospects for Tim Lincecum or Hunter Pence.

Mostly, the Giants are reaching that bracing point when even they realize that things will not turn out perfectly in 2013.

They gave it a try. But the curtain is closing fast, and the Giants are getting shoved off the stage.

I agree, and it is time, as you said, to slow down Cain and Bumgarner a little, in terms of pitch counts. I don’t think it is time for a white flag, but I also believe after the ASG, they should start looking ahead (as in 2014 and beyond). Getting Franceour when they did was unfortunate timing, but he could utilize him defensively. They shouldn’t trade Pence, they need to hold onto him, but “veteran pitching” should be on the block (i.e. Lincecum, Lopez). I think, come August, if they continue down this path, they need to start giving Perez some time, continue to see if Tanaka gives them anything, maybe bring up Hembree; in other words, see what kids they can rely upon into the future, with an eye on a retool, but they don’t need a complete rebuild.

Beentheredonethat

You will have to win the west to make the playoffs. The dodgers are better than the giants. Arizona hits way way better than the giants. This season is done. And we have no chips like Wheeler to regretfully toss away for rental players. Sell overpriced beers and $35 parking and panda-posey gear for the remainder of the season and look to next year..stick.fork.done..

fatpanda

time to sell off Pence to the highest bidder, he is not going to be worth the 4 year 48-55 million he will be asking in FA. Same with Lincecum. If you can pay most of Affeldts deal to get rid of him I would do that too. Restock the farm system to get some trade chips. Then take that and your spending money from the expiration of Zito, Lincecum, Pence, etc. and reload.

In the meantime to avoid overspending in FA, make a deal for Bud Norris. You need to build the gap between the pending FA and the young pitchers in A-AA. He is controllable and affordable for the next two years and would slot right into the #3 or #4 spot in the rotation.

dharte

Sell Panda….

Or do you really want to see his tired and morbidly obsess act next year?

What is so striking though is Sabean’s refusal to admit a mistake. That sort of stupidity and mule-headedness makes the situation look even worse.

And of course you know they won’t spend to minimize their mistake–a Puig, a Darvish, etc.

Just more yuks from Kruk & Kuip about relaxin’ at the yard with gamer babes….

Count me out. And Sabean needs to go for the Wheeler trade.

Billy Beane, anyone?

2much2ignore

Sell Panda….

Or do you really want to see his tired and morbidly obsess act next year?

What is so striking though is Sabean’s refusal to admit a mistake. That sort of stupidity and mule-headedness makes the situation look even worse.

And of course you know they won’t spend to minimize their mistake–a Puig, a Darvish, etc.

Just more yuks from Kruk & Kuip about relaxin’ at the yard with gamer babes….

Count me out. And Sabean needs to go for the Wheeler trade.

Billy Beane?

The Wisdom Cow

The wheeler trade is only a footnote to Tim because he was one of the fools that believed it was worthwhile. Drastic overpay. Hell, Olney has labelled the current GM habit of asking for the moon on rentals “The Wheeler Syndrome!”

Simply paid way too much for a rental with no comp pick rights.

P

LOL…Sabean needs to go?? His dealings have brought two of the last three World Series. Wheeler went for Beltran in an attempt at another. This year simply shows how difficult repeating is, just as 2011 did. Get rid of Sabes? Laughable.

The Wisdom Cow

Don’t put “get rid of Sabes” on me, P. I just think it was a horrible trade (and actually think it was pushed on Sabean by Baer and Bochy, but anyways). I like Sabean. I just don’t give a pass on every/any move because others have worked. Hated the deal at the time. Hate it more now.

charlie manuel’s diaper

The Wheeler trade only became a mistake when they let Beltran go.

NotSoOldBlue

Agreed. How many other GMs have won multiple World Series? He has a strategy and that strategy requires some lightening in a bottle.

The guy one seat over for all these years said it best: you need no injuries, some surprises from the minors and a few career years. That’s how you win it all and that requires at least a little luck, no?

Sharkalchemy

I still think Lincecum is in wait and see mode. He could become a Hudson type yet and still have plenty of good years left, as a starter.

Figured it would be tough to repeat, but if they made the playoff crapshoot, they’ve figured out how to peak in it, so just somehow get there this year. oh wells (Never liked all the players they had in the World Tourney to start the year…this team was gassed early as a result).

Looks like ’13 goes the way of ’11 and ’09 for that matter, that’s the team that should of won 95 that year, not the dodgers. LinceCain was in full effect but they couldn’t hit much, if y’all remember.

fanforlife

Time to break up the current team–thanks for two WS but it
is time for major change and there are very few that I would
say are must keepers–Posey, Crawford, Madbum and Romo
are my list–
I’d dump Panda, Pence, Timmy, Belt etal in a heartbeat–and I’d
give Affeldt away–
My guess is the rest of the league has unfortunately concluded
that they also don’t want our former stars either so it won’t be
easy but I’d be listening very carefully to all offers–

miguel

This team won the World Series nine months ago, and now, because they are under performing, fans want the Giants to clean house. Ridiculous!

Most fair weather fans ever. There is plenty of baseball left to play and they are only 7 games out of first in the weakest division in baseball. Anyone remember 2010 when the Giants didn’t make the playoffs until the last day of the season? I’m not saying it’s likely they’ll make the playoffs, but it’s not impossible either. Go Giants!

mary

Can someone explain why Pence’s is always in the mix to trade or not sign and not the other outfielders, Torres, Blanco, and the others being platooned? I thought Pence was a solid player, albeit his current slump.

gamerSF

Emerson,

7 games out, stinking fast and no sign of life!

Time to sell

sliver1935

Affeldt is the pitching version of Aubrey Huff. In last year’s drive to the championship he was reliable if not terrific. Throw muncho dinero at him in order to re-sign him and he absolutely tanks! As the old perfessor used to say, don’t overpay one year wonders – you could look it up.

sffranscian

@ P @ Notsooldblue

If you really think that Sabean is the reason this team won, fair enough. Frankly, it’s just not worth detailing all of the bad trades/signings this guy has managed in the last decade. And no one’s pretending he didn’t make some very savvy moves, but that doesn’t change the brutal truth: this team has few if any elite prospects.

It goes without saying that Kawakami is whistling in the dark here: the Wheeler deal, and his performance today, is not a “footnote”…far from it.

Without Posey the Giants had ZERO chance of repeating in 2011. This organization has made some of the worst trades in the history of baseball (Cepeda for Sadecki used to be my personal favorite) but giving up Wheeler for a two month rental, an aging rental,,who had no interest in being here and no health, may top even that long ago fiasco.

AND, my friends, IT WAS RIDICULOUS AT THE TIME. Most of the experts evaluating the trade two years ago thought Sabean got used by Alderson, and they were right.

So best of luck with the happy talk, fellas. Two titles is impressive, no question. But if you think anyone is going to pay what are now among the top ticket prices in major league baseball for Mike Kickham, Jake Dunning, Cole Gillespie, Juan Perez, or Hector Sanchez–hell, you can throw in Brandon Belt and The Fat Man if you’d like…not happening.

And this ownership group will never compete with the Dodgers for talent; they don’t even seem willing to compete with the A’s.

I’ve never seen a team fall so far this fast, but then Sabean did nothing in the offseason. Nothing.

Can you imagine Harbaugh or even the Warriors, much less someone as competitive as Bill Walsh doing nothing to improve?

Neither can I.

Steve C.

How bout a compromise? Instead of firing Sabean, why not reorganize to limit the input he has into minor league player development and the draft? Hire some hotshot from another organization to run that aspect of the organization. And spend money on scouting! Under Sabean the Giants have been notorious for offseason purges of their minor league scouts. Several years ago they fired almost a dozen. Did they ever adequately replace those scouts? Penny-wise and pound foolish….

Mitch

The Giants were winning when they traded for Beltran and immediately went into the crapper. The chemistry was awful.

Jonathan Poundwater

Wow. Really living up to the bad reputation of being fair weather. The Warriors are good now. I guess that’s where the Google Bus “fans” will focus their attention on now.

DavidG

This season punctuates what has been a problem the Giants have had for many, many years: their inability to draft and develop significant, major league talent. To be more specific, their inability to draft and develop hitters and position players. Besides Posey and Sandoval, the Giants’ track record of draft and developing position players/batters who can impact their major league line up is horrendous.

Sabean has a great track record for drafting and developing pitchers, as well as trading for key veterans during the season. But before Posey made the ALL-Star game, who was the last (drafted) Giants position player to make the All Star game??

At this point, the roster is full of pricey veterans who may or may not be back next year (Lincecum, Pence, etc.). If both depart, who will replace them? Anyone from the farm system? doubtful.

Since Bonds retired, the top 3 left fielders in terms of innings played are : #1 Fred Lewis, #2 Pat Burrell, #3 Melky Cabrera. (thanks to KNBR). The Giants have been woefully unable to draft, or even find, an everyday left fielder, and we are seeing the negative impact of this deficiency everyday.

2 World Series victories in the past 3 season are wonderful, and testament to how well the Giants franchise operates on many levels. But in terms of player development, these wins have overshadowed a gross deficiency in player development which is finally coming home to roost.

3rdNking

if we keep listening to marty,

not only is wheeler gone

but timmy will be too…

DONT LET 55 GO, don’t do it….we got one more title run

Go Giants

AJ

Everyone throw their support behind the A’s. Spend your money on a quality team and WS contender

janko

3rdnKING,

We have one more title run when?

Timmy is leaving after this season. WE are currently the worst team in baseball.

The Wheeler trade was bad because you traded a prime prospect for a 2 month rental and the 2011 Giants had many holes not just 1 bat. The Mets will have 6+ years of Wheeler and the Giants will have nothing but bad memories.

Management needs to do a better job with bringing in young talent through the draft and the international free agency, this years draft was widely panned. They have a chance to make up for it by trying to get some young talent for their older players. Think 2014, maybe the troups will rebound.

KezarFan

SFFranciscan, you’re so rational and spot-on that I’m inclined to paste your comments (18) here just so they’re not ignored.

I’m flatly speechless at the free pass given Sabean for his offseason and Bochy for his recent ineptitude. Two titles in three years is undeniably impressive; it is NOT an excuse for this disastrous year.

Can you imagine the CEO of a sales organization viewing miserable sales results in the current year and saying, “oh, we’ll. We had two terrific years out of the last three, so I’ll give my sales VP a pass even though his/her results now absolutely suck.”

Either can I. You’re judged on current performance. And theirs are FAILURE.

sffranscian

@ KezarFan

Thanks very much. Sabean is probably bullet-proof in this town, and Larry Baer really is a Shakespearian character in the most bizarre way (how many people have lost their jobs on Larry’s climb to the top?), but some of us aren’t convinced and the money stream won’t be coming from us, at least..

I’ve watched this team since the late 60s and I was really thrilled to see them win, but the incompetence that has gutted the farm system, the cheapness in refusing to compete for players such as Puig, Darvish, Chapman and Cepedes, and the ridiculous ticket increases (not to mention everything else for sale at AT&T) is just too much.

Of course Sabean and Baer aren’t the worst examples of greed–these owners are simply outrageous.

What we need is a boycott of AT&T until they either drop prices or spend on elite talent.

A longshot, but worth considering.

They’re not getting another dime from my family until they show they’ll compete.

Woj

Stop it with the Wheeler was a bad trade. It was only a bad trade becasue the cheapie owners did not pony up more than $26M over 2 years to get Carlos back in RF in SF. Fact – Beltran produced a .905 OPS during his 2 months in S.F. and what was around him offensively was Panda and literal crap. By crap I mean the WORST offense in N.L. history in last 20 years bad and through that Carlos Beltran was still the G’s best 2011 hitter in August and Sept. and kept the Giants in the race until the last week. He got off to a losw start with Giants and came on strong. Should he has played a week earlier in August ’11 = probably but he raked in late August & Sept.

The Giants had exclusive negotiating window to get Beltran signed for 2012 and 2013 and cheaped out. The misery owners who have/are making ridiculous amounts of money off expensive tix, merchandise, concessions and $35/car parking had a lowball figure in mind to get Beltran signed and when Beltran balked or asked for more money they said get lost. So Beltran signed with St. Louis for 2 yrs/$26M (12-13) which is less than Pence and Beltran is a far better hitter than Pence. Beltran = All Star in last 2 seasons while Pence has been a better motivational speaker than right fielder. So when you see Wheeler succeed, only remind yourself of how the SF owners would not pay the premium it takes to get bona fide hitters to sign with SF and play in death for power hitters AT&T. Giants in 2014 better realize it takes a little more than market rate to get proven sluggers to sign in this pitcher friendly park.

sffranscian

@ woj

Then, by definition, it’s a BAD TRADE.

When you have nothing to show for perhaps the best pitching prospect in the game, you’ve made a bad trade.